The Yellow Clay proves fruitful for Elliott

The Yellow Clay landed more Grade 1 success for Gordon Elliott today as the Bective Stud owned six year old claimed the Lawlor's Of Naas Hurdle worth €60,000 to the winner.

The winner extended his unbeaten record for the season to four with a facile victory and gave Elliott his 101st Grade 1 winner.

A high-class bumper performer last season, The Yellow Clay made a smart start to his career over hurdles at Down Royal before landing Grade 3 and Grade 2 prizes at Navan.

He was an 11-4 shot to successfully graduate to Grade 1 level in the hands of Sam Ewing and ultimately did so with relative ease.

With fellow Elliott runner Wingmen deployed in a pacesetting role, The Yellow Clay raced in third for much of the two-and-a-half-mile contest before joining his stablemate at the top of the home straight.

The Yellow Clay was travelling much the best jumping the second flight from the finish and soon kicked clear, safely negotiating the last before galloping up the run-in to seal an eight-length verdict. Supersundae emerged best of four runners for Willie Mullins, making late gains to beat Wingmen to the runner-up spot.

“He just knows how to win and is improving the whole time. I was very worried about the ground and was undecided about running him but I rang Noel (Moran, owner), who is in Turkey, and he gave me the green light," said Elliott.

“They went a good gallop all the way and Wingmen ran a good race as well.

“I’d imagine he (The Yellow Clay) will go straight to Cheltenham now. I loved the way he travelled today and if anything, he probably got there plenty soon. Sam said he hated the ground.

“The race in Navan, where he was a bit behind the bridle, probably helped to wake him up.”

Paddy Power make The Yellow Clay a 7-1 shot from 20-1 for the Turners Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival in March, while he is 8-1 from 12-1 with the same firm for the Albert Bartlett.

GAVIN CROMWELL

There was also Naas success for Gavin Cromwell as The Other Mozzie powered clear over the last to run out an easy winner of the two-mile handicap chase.

Conor Stone-Walsh held his mount up in the early stages before producing the 9/2 shot to challenge two from home.

He was soon disputing with stable-mate Lazer Wolf but asserted from that rival down to the final fence.

The Vadamos gelding was driven clear on the run-in and Walsh could afford to ease down in the closing stages to post a 11-length win. Silver King plugged on to take the runner-up spot.

“I have to admit I thought the handicapper had been a bit too hard on him and that’s why we claimed off him, but he was right and I was wrong," said Cromwell.

“He’s ground versatile and got through that well. I wasn’t sure if he would.

“I’m not sure where we go from here, but it will be another handicap I suppose somewhere.”